OPC systems are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,731 (the '731 patent) issued to Medvedeva, et. al. entitled “Hybrid Aerial Image Simulation” provides a background for OPC and a useful OPC process. The specification of the '731 patent is hereby incorporated herein as though set forth in full by this reference. The '731 patent describes a trade-off that users of an OPC system must make. Namely, that OPC is a computationally intensive task, dependent upon the desired resolution or accuracy of the correction to be made, therefore a user must decide how much time to spend to achieve a desired resolution, when both time and resolution are important. Typically there are common algorithms used in the OPC process that are executed with much iteration. As a corrected aerial image is processed to more closely produce the desired pattern on the underlying media, the longer it takes to perform the calculation. If any change to the mask is needed, due to any number of factors, OPC must be performed again. Mask changes are frequent in research and development, for example, meaning that the prior art OPC process has a significant impact on the development and implementation of new mask designs and attendant products.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for simply and efficiently performing OPC system processes to reduce the impact that OPC processes have on determination of a desired mask or aerial image. The present invention addresses such a need.